Birkenstock Is Riding High as Searches Soar Following That Viral ‘Barbie’ Movie Scene
The “Barbie” train just won’t quit. The Margot Robbie-led movie is ruling the box office, so far grossing $774 million globally. The color pink skyrocketed. And what seemed like a never-ending marketing machine of brand collaborations, from Aldo to Crocs, have been raking in the dollars.
Now, Birkenstock is seeing the benefits. In the film, there’s a critical scene where Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) presents two options to Barbie (Robbie). Choose between staying in the perfect world of Barbieland, represented by a pair of sparkly high-heeled pink pumps, or, pick Birkenstock sandals, representing the real world to remedy Barbie’s existential crisis. “You can know the truth about the universe,” says Weird Barbie with the Birkenstocks in her hand.
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According to Lyst, the movie moment sparked a 110% increase on searches for Birkenstock Arizonas following its release. Interestingly, Birkenstock is one of the few brands that didn’t formally collaborate with Mattel on an official “Barbie” collection.
The rise in demand for Birkenstock sandals, as seen in a viral scene from the movie, continues.
On TikTok, users are posting unboxings of their pink-colored Birkenstocks and ways to get them.
@brandivs These Pink Birkenstocks are about to sell out ???? @ck #barbie #birkenstocks #barbiegirls #barb #barbiemovie #pink #bestie #bestiegoals #fyp #fypシ
? Just A Girl – No Doubt
Google Trends data shows that searches for Birkenstock sandals increased by significant percentages in the U.S. after the movie premiere, according to recent data from 3DLOOK, a virtual fitting room company. For instance, Google searches for “Birkenstock sandals for women” have risen by 346%. Searches for “Birkenstocks on sale” are up 102% and searches for “buy Birkenstock sandals” and “Birkenstock sandals” have risen by 76% and 70%, respectively.
The popular footwear company has been on a winning streak as of late. Could this “Barbie” buzz be the push it needs to go public?
Last month, FN sister publication WWD reported that the brand’s main owner, private equity player L Catterton, has started to explore options for the hot brand, including a potential IPO. According to Bloomberg, the company is shooting for a September offering that could value the brand at more than $8 billion. The report stated that Birkenstock sales got a lift in the wake of the Barbie movie.
While Birkenstock has declined to comment on the matter, experts in the retail industry have been optimistic.
The German shoemaker has been hot with growth, due to its core business as well as successful collaborations, including its line with Manolo Blahnik last year, which was honored with the 2022 FNAA Collaboration of the Year award. And last August, the footwear company, which was also the FNAA Brand of the Year in 2020, broke ground on a 120 million-euro ($127 million) shoe factory at the Berlin-Szczecin Industrial Park in Germany.
In addition, Birkenstock opened its fourth company-owned store last year in the U.S., with its Larkspur, Calif., location. This store follows the openings of the footwear label’s first three U.S. company-owned retail stores in Brooklyn and SoHo in New York City, and in Venice Beach, Calif.
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